Hiroshima in Half a Day: Ropeway Boarding Area — Guide Kazuha

Title: What Is a Private Walking Tour of Onomichi Like? A Licensed Guide's Report

The booking was made at short notice, and I was a little uneasy because my reply email came late, but I received a message on the morning of the tour and the guest arrived at the meeting point ten minutes early, which put me at ease. We had not been able to discuss anything beforehand, so I asked various questions there, and since it was the guest's first visit to Onomichi, I guided them along the standard course. As the guest had plenty of energy and walked quickly, I also added Misode Tenmangu Shrine and Daisan-ji Temple.

It was the guest's first time in Japan, and I heard they had already visited Tokyo, Hakone, and Kyoto, and after Onomichi planned to go to Hiroshima City and Miyajima, then to Matsuyama and Kochi in Shikoku. For lunch I recommended Onomichi ramen. When I later learned the guest works in a healthcare-related field involving dietary guidance, I said, somewhat apologetically, that it might not be so good for the health… Nevertheless, they enjoyed the ramen, saying "Delicious!" as they ate. They were also very skilled with chopsticks, and when I asked, they said that they eat Japanese food in Oceania too, so they had bought chopsticks and practiced at home! It made me laugh.

The guest listened attentively and reacted warmly to everything — the view from the Onomichi observation deck, the old townscape and the history and culture behind it, the Cat Alley (Neko no Hosomichi), and more. When I showed a photo of Senko-ji Temple with the cherry blossoms in full bloom, they were deeply moved. They were also interested in a cat we met along the way and took photos of it. They enjoyed experiences such as turning the large prayer beads and offering a prayer, making a sound at Tsuzumi-iwa Rock, and trying to lift the "power stone." At the healing Buddha statue, they rubbed the spot where they had scraped themselves falling off a bicycle the day before.

Since the guest had cycled to Setoda the day before, I was able to connect my explanations to their next destinations — telling them that a large painting by the Setoda-born painter Ikuo Hirayama is displayed on the wall of the Peace Memorial Museum they would soon visit, that Hirayama was himself a survivor of the atomic bombing, and that the area is Japan's top producer of lemons, and so on.

Because the guest works in a healthcare-related field, I shared many stories of people who came to Onomichi and healed their emotional wounds and regained their strength.

In addition to Onomichi ramen, I recommended Yamaneko pudding for dessert, Onomichi-style okonomiyaki for dinner, and lemon cakes and bags made of canvas sailcloth as souvenirs.

The guest said it was very enjoyable talking during the tour. I feel that I, too, was healed.

Click here for more details: Onomichi Half-Day Customized Tour with Licensed Local Guide

Tour Report by Kazuha

Hi! I am Kazuha from Onomichi City in Hiroshima Prefecture. Please call me Kazu chan. I was a teacher for 37 years, and retired last year. After that, I traveled a lot, and met a guide who made my travel much more interesting than other travel. It has become a life-time memory. So I decided to be an interpreter guide to help foreign tourists. I would love to help you to make your travel more interesting and exciting!
I have guided Onomichi, and two World Cultural Heritage sites :Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, and Miyajima. Onomichi is my hometown and the starting point for the Shimanami-kaido to Shikoku Island. It prospered from the 12th century to the 19th century, and was not bombed during the war. So we can still enjoy finding unique Japanese culture while walking. Let’s explore Hiroshima and make your travel special!